Lone Wolf is one of those m/m romance novels that is evocative of fanfic—in a good way. More than once I’ve had conversations with fannish friends about how we wish that finding books we want to read were as easy as finding fanfics that suit our mood; the “coffeehouse” and “bookstore” stories that are the literary equivalent of hot chocolate or ice cream to comfort and soothe. Lone Wolf evokes both of these tropes, adds some meta discussions about writing and fanfic, and provides the obligatory steamy sexy and happy ending (pun not intended at first, but now it is) that will please many a reader.

The novel is part of Riptide Publishing’s “Bluewater Bay” series, a set of (so far) five novels by ten writers set in a shared universe. The eponymous bay is home to author Hunter Easton, famous for his Wolf’s Landing paranormal novels that are being adapted for a popular television series that is also being shot in the small town in northwest Washington. The popularity of the books and television series is meant to evoke Twilight and Game of Thrones—and does so in a way that encourages even more nods and winks to the audience. After all, it is the vast popularity of rewritten fan novels of Twilight that have given mainstream audiences a knowledge of contemporary fandom that makes a lot of the discussions in Lone Wolf accessible to the reader in a way that they wouldn’t have been even five years ago.

You see, Hunter Easton, famous author, also likes to hang out in his own fan forum using the pseudonym Wolf Hunter, and his best friend in fandom is Lone Wolf. Lone Wolf has just finished his long-awaited fan novel—one that Hunter has been waiting for as eagerly as the other fans online. Disobeying his editor’s injunction to never read fanfic, Hunter has read everything by Lone Wolf, but nothing by anyone else. (This is how we know they have something **special** together.) Hijinks ensue when Hunter finishes the fic, absolutely has to meet Lone Wolf in person, finds out that he is gorgeous, gay, and single, and online friendship quickly becomes in person romance. In the meantime there are discussions of fandom, the writing trade, the con circuit, and all of those things that are one part wishful thinking to three parts absolute accuracy. (Ever been in a miserable writing critique circle when you know you’re a great writer? Yeah, those scenes are here. Ever had long, in-depth conversations about fictional people as if they were real? Those too. Love the perfect coffee shop setting with the elaborate descriptions of delicious caffeine? Oh yes.)

Lone Wolf is a quick, easy read, and the perfect thing to relax with when you’ve had too much “real life”—online, or off.